Ormond toasts repeal of Sunday alcohol ban

Wednesday

Nov 6, 2013 at 1:03 PMNov 6, 2013 at 10:26 PM

By Chris Grahamchris.graham@news-jrnl.com

ORMOND BEACH — Scott Studner said he can’t wait to give a toast at his beachside restaurant this weekend.It will be the first time he and other restaurateurs in Ormond Beach will be able to serve alcoholic beverages — legally — to patrons who come out for Sunday brunch.“I’m just thrilled we’re going to be able to do something we haven’t been able to for a long time,” said Studner, who owns the Beach Bucket at 867 S. Atlantic Ave.The City Commission Tuesday night officially repealed Ormond Beach’s decades-old law that banned the sale of alcohol before noon on Sundays.City Commissioner Troy Kent brought the issue before the elected board after Studner told him how the city’s law drove potential customers away to neighboring cities.“I’m really pleased that it seems like the city commission was behind this initiative and so was the community,” said Kent, adding people were thanking him before Tuesday’s meeting for spearheading the issue.The city first enacted its Sunday alcohol law, also known as a blue law, in the 1950s and amended it in the years that followed. Pierson bans the sale of alcohol on Sunday while other municipalities including Palm Coast, DeBary and South Daytona mirror Ormond’s previous law.Alcohol sales in Ormond Beach will now be permitted after 7 a.m. on Sundays. The measure was approved by a 4-0 vote with Commissioner James Stowers absent.To celebrate the occasion, Studner said the restaurant is planning to have a toast at 10 a.m. and will be giving out free mimosas from 10 a.m. until noon this Sunday.“I couldn’t think of a more appropriate thing to do,” he said.